Do you see shake and shingle claddings with cedar patterns on different houses? These are usually polymer siding. Made from polypropylene resin, polymer siding enhances the beauty of your home’s exterior by giving it a unique rustic look.
They are made using an injection molding process that gives the final siding a three-dimensional pattern in various styles and sizes. The experts inject the molten compound inside the mold and then heat it at a high temperature. Once the molten compound takes shape inside the mold, the experts will cool the mold before taking the siding out.
Polymer molding came into the market in 1990 and became instantly popular because of its designs and low cost. They offer a wide range of color and design options; much more than what other siding materials can provide. Some of the most common types of polymer siding designs include half-round shingles, rough-split shakes, sawmill shingle, and traditional shingles.
Polymer Siding vs. Vinyl Siding
Many people confuse polymer siding with vinyl siding because they look similar. The main difference between polymer and vinyl siding is the material.
The primary difference is that Vinyl consists of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin while Polymer siding contains polypropylene resin. Vinyl is a type of plastic polymer. Polypropylene resin has two essential elements: hydrogen and carbon, making the plastic more neutral.
On the other hand, PVC resin consists of 30% chlorine. This means vinyl siding is not good for the environment because chlorine produces toxins when incinerated.
Most vinyl siding is vertical or horizontal. Now, you can make similar-looking polymer siding also, but where Polymer really shines is in making custom molded shapes that emulate other building types like shingle cladding or shake cladding styles.
Another difference between polymer and vinyl siding is their making process. Polymer follows an injection molding process that can turn to three-dimensional designs with different textures, styles, colors, and sizes. Vinyl only makes vertical or horizontal siding.
One of the reasons why people choose polymer siding over vinyl siding is because of their durability. The polypropylene resin used to make the siding lasts for years without requiring monthly maintenance. They are easy to clean and don’t require frequent sealing, repainting, or re-caulking.
Benefits of polymer siding
Polymer siding not only enhances the beauty of your house but also offers several other benefits:
• Durable – Polypropylene resin hardens once it cools down. Once a professional finishes installing polymer siding, you can expect it to last for years or even decades. Polypropylene resin is one of the hardest materials in the industry, making polymer siding the toughest and most durable. They don’t crack, chip, peel, warp, or fade away with time. Most importantly, they are suitable for extreme weather conditions and can resist impacts like hailstorms.
• Customizable – You can ask the expert to customize the polymer siding according to the design of your doors and windows. Or maybe some other design that you have in mind. These siding are customizable because you can mold them into any shape you want. Experts can even mimic the appearance of wood or stone to give a natural look to the siding without compromising the durability or quality.
• Low maintenance – The color of polymer siding gets baked at the time of making the siding. This ensures that the color stays for years without requiring repainting or frequent cleaning. It also ensures that the siding looks freshly painted without any regular upkeep. The monsoon rain usually washes away accumulated dust and debris from the siding, thus making sure that you don’t have to invest time in cleaning them manually.
• Curb Appeal – Polymer siding more closely emulates actual wood because it’s basically a 3d cast created from a mold and then painted to put on those finishing wood-like touches on. Because of the look it can give your house, whether used everywhere or just as an accent piece, it can really up your curb appeal.
• Seamless – Vinyl siding is very easy to spot by it’s lack of texture and especially by it’s seams. Unlike vinyl siding that is overlapped at different staggered joints, Polymer siding panels are usually designed to but up against each other usually continuing a pattern and/or texture making it very hard to find the seam.
Polymer siding ideas
The exterior of your house is equally important as your interiors and the foundation. You should select siding designs that complement your home’s aesthetics. Since you can customize polymer siding, you can discuss the designs with a professional after showing him pictures of your house. This would not only help to decide the style but also the colors. Contrasting colors may not suit the look of your house when it comes to polymer siding. Therefore, you need to select something that improves the look of your home’s exterior.
But what are some of the designs that you can implement with polymer siding? Here are a few ideas that you can keep in mind.
1. Cool and classical
Sometimes, less is more for your dream home. You don’t need to be colorful with polymer siding. Just stick to two colors, preferably white and dark grey, to make them stand out and make your house look beautiful from a distance. Too many colors may reduce the focus of your home’s exterior color and that’s not what you would want if you have guests coming or maybe buyers who want to buy your house. Keep the colors simple to make your house look classy.
2. Charming and traditional
Horizontal polymer siding won’t look good on narrow, vertical windows. And if you are selecting narrow, vertical siding, then make sure you follow the same patterns for your doors also. A traditional look means following similar patterns to make your house look charming. For this type of style, it’s best to select the same color for your polymer siding as your home’s exterior.
3. White on white
There is something unique about white exteriors with white siding. Once the professional finishes installing the siding, you will start appreciating the beauty of this combination. Houses with arched windows and doorways are suitable for dome-shaped siding. This is another combination that makes your house look traditional.
4. Textural elements
Does your house have a stone or brick-designed exterior? If yes, you can go for textural elements in your polymer siding. This will give the siding a similar look to your home’s exterior. It balances the aesthetics, provided you choose similar colors.
With so many designs available, it won’t be hard to find a polymer siding that fits your house. Just make sure it adds to the aesthetics and doesn’t make your house look odd from a distance. Buyers may not approve of the color or design of the siding if you make the wrong choice. And therefore, always take help from professionals while choosing siding.
If you need high-quality polymer siding, get in touch with us. We can show you some unique designs and colors that would make your home look incredible. Click here to learn more about our siding installation services.
Give TNT a call today at 970-663-2868 or click here to contact us.
